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Spinal surgery system and methodRelated Patent Categories: Surgery, Instruments, Blunt DissectorsSpinal surgery system and method description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060036273, Spinal surgery system and method. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This application is a Continuation-In-Part of Ser. No. 10/915,478 filed Aug. 11, 2004. FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to spinal surgery and, in particular, it concerns a system and method for performing various minimally invasive spinal surgical procedures. [0003] The past several years have witnessed a multitude of novel ideas and techniques for improved care for patients with spinal conditions. Some of these advances have improved the quality of life of patients suffering from degenerative disk disease with disabling low back pain. The current trend is towards less invasive approaches with less iatrogenic soft-tissue morbidity, as compared to traditional procedures with or without fusion of vertebral bones. [0004] Despite a wide range of procedures performed today as minimally invasive spinal surgery ("MISS") procedures, there remain fundamental limitations to the available options in a number of respects. Firstly, while a posterior approach is preferred for minimizing iatrogenic soft-tissue morbidity, it has been found difficult to achieve precise positioning of devices anterior to the spinal cord using a posterior approach. Furthermore, the available techniques for anchoring implants in position within the spinal column are limited in their reliability and tend to generate problematic local debris. [0005] There is therefore a need for an apparatus and method for minimally invasive spinal surgery which would provide a guide element for providing a well defined reference location within the spinal column for performance of a MISS procedure anterior to the spinal cord. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] The present invention is an apparatus and method for minimally invasive spinal surgery, and corresponding surgical techniques which can advantageously be implemented using the apparatus and method of the invention. The invention also relates to a tunneling system and corresponding method for forming an arcuate tunnel through tissue. [0007] According to the teachings of the present invention there is provided, a tunneling system for forming an arcuate tunnel through biological tissue, the tunneling system comprising: (a) a delivery conduit having an inner channel and an open end, at least part of the inner channel being substantially straight; and (b) a tunneling device for deploying within the inner channel and advancing beyond the open end, at least a distal portion of the tunneling device being formed from a series of substantially rigid elements interconnected at pivotal interconnection regions having parallel effective hinge axes, the interconnection regions being configured to transfer compressive forces between adjacent of the elements, each of the elements further including at least one contact surface disposed for abutting a corresponding region of an adjacent one of the elements so as to define a maximum deflection of relative pivotal motion between adjacent of the elements, such that, when the distal portion is deployed within the inner channel, at least part of the distal portion assumes a substantially straight state with the contact surfaces and the corresponding regions separated and, as the distal portion is advanced beyond the open end into the biological tissue, the elements are deflected to the maximum deflection so that a part of the distal portion beyond the open end assumes a pre-defined substantially arcuate state. [0008] According to a further feature of the present invention, the tunneling device is integrally formed as an elongated body with a plurality of transverse slots spaced along its length, regions between adjacent of the slots providing the substantially rigid elements and regions around the slots providing the pivotal interconnection regions. [0009] According to a further feature of the present invention, the elongated body is formed from metallic material. [0010] According to a further feature of the present invention, the elongated body is hollow. [0011] According to a further feature of the present invention, at least a distal tip of the elongated body is non-hollow. [0012] According to a further feature of the present invention, the elongated body has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional outline. [0013] According to a further feature of the present invention, the transverse slots are substantially V-shaped. [0014] According to a further feature of the present invention, the transverse slots are substantially parallel-sided. [0015] According to a further feature of the present invention, each of the elements includes at least two of the contact surfaces and a corresponding two abutment regions, the at least two contact surfaces being non-coplanar. [0016] According to a further feature of the present invention, the tunneling device terminates in a distal tip having a bevel angle inclined so as to tend to deflect the elements towards the arcuate state when advanced. [0017] According to a further feature of the present invention, the bevel angle is inclined between 20.degree. and 70.degree. to a longitudinal axis of the tunneling device when in the substantially straight state. [0018] According to a further feature of the present invention, there is also provided a drive device associated with the delivery conduit and with the tunneling device, the drive device being configured to advance the tunneling device relative to the delivery conduit. [0019] According to a further feature of the present invention, the tunneling device features a series of recesses, the drive device having at least one projecting feature for engaging at least one of the recesses. [0020] According to a further feature of the present invention, the tunneling device further includes a tensioning element deployed along at least part of a length of the tunneling device for biasing adjacent of the elements to the maximum deflection. [0021] There is also provided according to the teachings of the present invention, an apparatus for use in performing a minimally invasive spinal surgical procedure via a pair of bilateral stab wounds on either side of a subject region of the spine of a patient, the apparatus comprising: (a) a first hollow rigid tube having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end for insertion through a first of the stab wounds; (b) a second hollow rigid tube having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end for insertion through a second stab wound in the back of a patient; (c) a rigid coupling for rigidly coupling the first and second tubes such that the tubes converge towards the distal ends but maintain a predefined gap between the distal ends; and (d) a tunneling system deployable along the first tube for forming an arcuate tunnel so as to traverse the gap between the distal ends of the first and second tubes, the tunneling system including a tunneling device, at least a distal portion of the tunneling device being formed from a series of substantially rigid elements interconnected at pivotal interconnection regions having parallel effective hinge axes, the interconnection regions being configured to transfer compressive forces between adjacent of the elements, each of the elements further including at least one contact surface disposed for abutting a corresponding region of an adjacent one of the elements so as to define a maximum deflection of relative pivotal motion between adjacent of the elements, such that, when the distal portion of the tunneling device is deployed within the first tube, at least part of the distal portion assumes a substantially straight state with the contact surfaces and the corresponding regions separated and, as the distal portion of the tunneling device is advanced beyond the distal end, the elements are deflected to the maximum deflection so that a part of the distal portion of the tunneling element beyond the distal end of the first tube assumes a pre-defined substantially arcuate state. [0022] According to a further feature of the present invention, there is also provided an elongated flexible guide element for deployment, after removal of the tunneling system, so as to extend through the first hollow tube from the proximal end to the distal end, to traverse the gap and to extend through the second hollow tube from the distal end to the proximal end. Continue reading about Spinal surgery system and method... Full patent description for Spinal surgery system and method Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Spinal surgery system and method patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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